§ 46. Mr. Pethick-Lawrenceasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is prepared to set up a committee of inquiry to investigate the claim of civil servants who are transferred from temporary to permanent positions that allowance should be made for their years of temporary service for pensionable purposes?
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Simon)I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 8th July to the hon. Member for the Everton Division of Liverpool (Mr. Kirby) and other hon. Members.
§ Mr. Pethick-LawrenceWhen the right hon. Gentleman is making up his mind on this question, will he take into account the fact that since the last investigation was made into the Civil Service outside employers have very considerably advanced in the matter of pensions for their employés, and that this has a very direct bearing on conditions inside the Civil Service?
§ Sir J. SimonI will bear in mind what the right hon. Gentleman has said.
§ Mr. R. AclandCan the right hon. Gentleman say when we shall know the Government's decision with regard to the setting up of an inquiry? Will it be this Session?
§ Sir J. SimonI think that is very unlikely. What I said in the answer the other day was that the matter had been recently examined, and the question 1055 whether further inquiry would serve a useful purpose would receive consideration. That is being done.
§ Mr. AclandAre we likely to get the result of that consideration this Session?